NAVY LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 32, 7 February 1935, Page 21

NAVY LEAGUE

ENTRY TO SCHOOLS

"VERY DIFFICULT POSITION"

.An answer from the secretary of me Wellington Education Board -to the S™°« f°r leave for its secretary (Mr R. Darroch) to .address schoolri,,H ™«n the Wellington district ?i ™£ tl £ aS received by the execui£w rl he WelUl^-^ branch,of ■ the wavy League at its meeting on-Tues-

hkdhh^ ter S^l? that appii cation vs£ °ceil ■. carefully- considered by the r P nnf' Tesol™* 'to assent to the qn «Übject t0 the visits being "S?n ♦ It 1 school hours- and subject S,J h»J t Vit its lpeing approved by the head teachers and school committees concerned. It was added that the board could not see its way to differentiate in the matter of time of. 1 eS! iy t et7f een the Navy League and other bodies which had been permitted to visit schools. ~ T. hf, chairman (Mr. A. Walker) said lv i reply to the application placed the Navy League in a very unfortunate position. Mr. Darroch had arranged for many years past for talks to the children not altogether on the aims of the league, but also about the British Empire goods purchase schemes. A very difficult position would have to be faced within the next year. Later on they would have to do their best to obtain permission lor him to enter the schools as he had done in the past. The work that Mr. Darroch'. had done in regard to the schools was well known and widely appreciated. PRESIDENT WELCOMED! The president of the branch (Sir James Grose) was welcomed back to the executive after his journey to the Old Country, where he had attended many Navy League functions. The chairman spoke a few words of - welcome to Sir James, remarking that during his absence the branch had been having a strenuous time, the visit of the Duke of, Gloucester being- 'the cause of much activity on the part of its members. Sir James, in. reply, gave a brief outline- of the functions he had attended on behalf of .the league. He paid a tribute :.; to .the secretary, and said that Mr. Darroch's work was highly esteemed at- headquarters in London! He: had.- officiated at the presentation, of the brass commemoration plate to H.M.S. Esk, and had afterwards been shown over the ship. Referring to . the ,NavyLeague dinner! Sir James said; that'it was one of trie finest sights he had ever seen. The guest of honour was the Aga Khan. Never .before in his life had he seen so many decorations and such a fine-looking, lot of men. There was no doubt, he said, that there was a definite move for the strengthening of the - cruiser arm of the fleet. It was being realised that our forces had; been allowed to'sink lower than was wise. . .' SECRETARY'S REPORT. , The secretary • staged in his report .that Tie completed fiis school wOrk-by making a tour of schools in the -northern part of the 'Nelson .-•.. Education Board district. • Altogether' twenty-four schools were visited, . representing nearly 1400 children and. teachers.1 He was accompanied on his tour by: the chairman of the board (Mr. H. J. Thornton). During 1934" he visited 110 schools, with art aggregate. - roll number of Over 17,000, in five education board districts, besides delivering a number of public addresses in different parts of. the .Dominion. The, subjects,of. the addresses, in the-schools and before the public were""Disarmament," "The Royal Navy," "The Merchant Service," and . "Inter-Empire Trade." Mr. Darroch stated that through the kindness of the Masterton Navy; League he addressed a very representative gathering of " ladies, j and with apologies to those who had taken the trouble to attend, he had asked to be allowed to address his remarks to the apathetic people who constituted, he was sorry to say, the great bulk of the population.

The school souvenir this year is to take the' form of a photograph of his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, in military uniform, and opposite the portrait the Duke's message to children of New Zealand dated Chateau Tongariro, December 30, 1934.